


Protected

by princess_evans_addict



Series: Protected [1]
Category: Avengers, Captain America, Marvel, Marvel Universe - Fandom
Genre: Adventure, Captain America - Freeform, F/M, I Tried, Love, Marvel - Freeform, Romance, Trust
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2016-01-06
Packaged: 2018-05-12 05:10:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 21,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5653588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princess_evans_addict/pseuds/princess_evans_addict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Maggie agreed to help her best friend finish preparing for an art exhibit, she wasn't expecting to end up in the middle of a rough battle between Captain America and a shooter. She also didn't expect to be considered a target because he saved her life and to be hunted by HYDRA agents for her involvement. Now her life is in the hands of a perfect soldier... and so is her heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Chapter One

"Are you sure you want to help?" Zoe asks, crossing her arms and biting her lip. "You teach tomorrow, right? You don't need to be worrying about this."

I sigh, tired of hearing it. "I'm fine."

"Maggie, your lungs-"

"Aren't going to explode by lifting a few boxes," I set one of the boxes down and turn to face my worried best friend. "I'm fine, Zoe. I promise."

She stares at me for a long moment, her deep blue eyes unwavering, and she finally heaves a sigh and flicks a strand of black hair from her face. "Fine. But if you can't breathe or function because of this-"

"- don't call you. I know. You've been threatening me with that since we were kids." I pick the box up again and set it on the table. "Where do you need these?"

"Just leave them there for right now," She grabs a large painting and sets it against the wall. "Being an art curator sucks. I hate it."

"No, you don't," I carefully take an old candle holder out of the box and set it on the old table.

"Fine, I don't," She eyes me carefully. "What about you?"

I smile, focusing on unpacking. "I love it."

"Of course, Miss cooking teacher. You don't have to deal with the pressure." Zoe flings her arms to the side dramatically.

I offer her a glance. "I live paycheck to paycheck. I think I understand pressure."

Zoe drops her hands. "How is that even safe? You would think with your asthma it would be torture."

"Cooking is probably the safest thing I could do," I start wiping the table down. "I could always be a firefighter."

"I don't think you have the muscles for that."

"Exactly." I turn and smile, brushing one of my fiery red strands from my face.

Zoe shakes her head. "You're crazy."

I smile, turning back to my work. "Thanks."

Zoe grumbles under her breath before suddenly stilling. "Do you hear that?"

I pause, frowning. "Hear what?"

"Listen," She grabs my arm gently, and I hear the sound of metal and…

"Are those gun shots?" I whisper, my hands tightening.

Zoe curses, dragging me away. "I'm calling the cops."

The wall explodes, and I shove Zoe out of the way before diving to the ground. I glance up to see a man walking into the museum backwards, shooting at someone, and I notice the candle holder on the ground. I quickly snag it before scrambling to my feet and throwing, missing him but managing to catch his attention. He turns to glare at me, and I freeze before a fist slams into his jaw, knocking him to the ground, and I watch with wide eyes as a man climbs through the hole.

"Is that Captain America?" Zoe asks, sounding a mix of terrified and awestruck.

I ignore her, my eyes locked on his, and for a long moment we just stare at each other, baby blue against my dull brown. After a moment his eyes flicker, and I know he's focused and dangerous.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" He asks, his eyes quickly assessing any injuries.

I can only nod, swallowing nervously and fighting the urge to cough. I can't guarantee that I won't have an asthma attack, and I won't risk it. The captain frowns, looking a little concerned, but Zoe quickly steps in front of me.

"Maggie, are you ok?" Zoe asks, touching my arm and forcing me to break eyes contact.

I clear my throat, sending up a little prayer. "Yeah," I croak. "I'm-" I break off, bending over in a coughing fit, and Zoe curses before gripping me tighter.

"Hang on, Maggie," She says, and though a few tears a see her scanning the room. "Where's your bag?"

"Stairs," I croak, and then she's gone. I bend over and grip my knees tightly, trying to get my lungs to work, and Captain America catches my arms and leads me to a wall, crouching in front of me as I sit.

"Is your friend going to find an inhaler?" He asks, and I nod before looking up to see him without his cowl. He's even more handsome then they show on TV; his blond hair is a little ruffled from battle, and there's a scratch healing in front of my eyes- which is strange- but it's the sincerity in his eyes that shocks me.

"Why are you checking on me?" I manage, relieved to hear the lack of a wheeze.

He tilts his head curiously. "It's part of the job, ma'am,"

I wince. "Don't call me that," I try to clear my throat. "I'm fine. You should be making sure he isn't getting back up."

"He isn't," He reaches out and grabs my arm gently. "I understand asthma attacks, Miss…"

"Maggie," I swallow carefully. "Maggie Smith."

He smiles. "Steve Rogers."

Before I can tell him to leave again, a single shot rings out, and Steve grabs my arm and shoves me so I'm lying on the ground. The shooter runs off, prompting Steve to run after him, but once he reaches the door he stops and curses.

"Maggie? I heard shots!" Zoe runs back inside, dropping beside me. "Just breathe, ok?"

I nod, taking my inhaler from her.

"Make sure she gets to a hospital," Steve orders, watching me closely.

Zoe nods once, looking stern. "I told you it wasn't a good idea to help."

I ignore her, carefully rising to my feet. "I'm fine. I just need to rest."

"No," Steve says firmly. "You need to be checked."

I send him a bit of a glare, not caring that he could crush me with one hand. "I'm fine, Captain."

His eyes narrow back, and we stare each other down for a long moment, neither able to look away or back down.

Zoe clears her throat carefully. "I'm going to call the cops and tell my boss to postpone the exhibit."

Steve finally looks away, allowing me to release a breath as he focuses on my best friend. "I'll call in a few favors to help rebuild. We'll have it done as soon as possible."

Zoe nods, relieved. "Thanks,"

He nods before looking at me for a long moment. "Be careful," He says finally. Before I can say anything he leaves, and I look over to see Zoe looking star struck.

"He's even bigger than I thought," She says dreamily.

I frown. "I thought you liked Tony Stark?"

"I do," She snaps out of it. "But he is definitely attractive."

"He's… something," I move towards the stairs, careful of any major dust piles. "If it's alright with you, I'm going to head home."

"Do you want a ride?" She asks innocently.

I send her a glare. "Not after the last time."

"It was one time,"

"We could have died."

"But we didn't,"

I shake my head, unable to fight back a smile. "You're insane."

She grins. "You know you love me," She wraps an arm around my shoulders, walking with me to the gaping hole leading to the street. "You know the drill. Text me when you're home, don't do anything stupid-"

"That's your job, not mine."

"- and be careful." She finishes, ignoring me. "Got it?"

I sigh. "Yes, ma'am."

She sends me a glare. "Shut up."

I grin and step into the street, aware that I probably look homeless and dirty, and I quickly move towards the subway, knowing that DC shouldn't be this crowded at one in the morning. I feel eyes on me, and I glance over to see a man watching me with a dangerous smile.

I swallow carefully and turn back around, anxious to go home.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"And you're sure you can see me tomorrow?" A lady asks in her slightly grating voice.

I hold the phone with my shoulder, scrubbing the stove of my small kitchen. I may not have much, but if a local restaurant is willing to let me use the back in exchange for recommending them, I'm happy. "Yes, ma'am. I'll be able to see you tomorrow unless there is a serious emergency."

The lady huffs. "You'd better, Ms. Smith." She hangs up without bothering to say goodbye, and I sigh wearily, setting the phone on the counter.

"That sigh better not be because of me," Zoe says, stepping inside with large bags of groceries. "This stuff was expensive, and I might be late to work now. It had better be on your conscious forever."

"Of course," I start unloading, her following my lead wordlessly. "You don't have to help, Zoe."

"I want to," She says simply, setting everything on the table. "Why do you buy their groceries again?"

"Because they let me use their kitchen, and this way I earn a little more," I set the milk in the fridge. "They pay for groceries, and I can keep any extra."

"I'm being used."

"Maybe,"

She rolls her eyes and glances at the tiny watch on her wrist. "I have to be there in five."

"Go," I wave her off, gathering a pile of cans. "I can handle things here."

She leans forward, bracing her palms on the table. "How are you really feeling?"

I shrug, focusing on stacking cans. "I feel fine. I just needed some sleep."

She nods once. "Last night feels like a dream. It's insane- no one would believe us, Maggie."

"Which is exactly why I don't tell anyone." I turn and put my hands on my hips. "You're going to be late."

She glances at the watch again and curses, scooping up her purse. "See you later!" She slams the door shut behind her, making me wince, and I toss the rag into the sink before hearing the door to the restaurant ding.

I wipe my hands on my pants and move towards the dining room. "Can I help you?" I freeze in my tracks, staring at the man who shot at me last night.

He gives me a roguish grin. "Hello, Margaret," He says smoothly, making me flinch. "I've come for a lesson."

I swallow carefully. "I'm afraid all of my appointments are full."

He chuckles darkly, sending something cold down my spine. "Oh, it's not for me," He steps closer, pulling a gun out of his jacket and pointing it at me. "It's for you."

I take a cautious step back. "What do you want?"

He tilts his head. "Isn't it obvious? I want the girl who's close to Captain America,"

I blink. "I'm not close to Captain America." I say quietly, my mind reeling. Why would I be close to Captain America? He helped me last night, but that was nothing more than his sense of duty.

He laughs once, the sound harsh and cruel. "You can try to lie to me, but we both know the truth."

I take another step back, my insides quaking. I can't think of anything; my phone is in the back, there are men in front of me, and I have a feeling they will catch me if I run for the back. I force a deep breath and bolt, moving for the back and ducking when I hear the bullet ring out. I wince a little at the ringing in my ears, but I snag my phone on the way out and slam the door open, not stopping as I run into the crowded street. I won't be seen as easily if I weave through the crowd, so I try to skirt around people and pray that I don't get caught.

A hand grabs my arm and yanks, shoving me into an alley, and I see the barrel of the gun rise to my forehead.

"No more games," The man growls angrily. "Where is he?"

Before I can say anything he's shoved aside and punched in the face, the force knocking him to the ground, and I stare in stunned silence as Steve Rogers looks up to meet my eyes.

"I need you to come with me," He says calmly.

I press my shaking hands against my legs. "Why?"

He reaches out and tugs my hand, weaving me through the crowd. "I can explain later," He waves for a taxi and opens the door for me, ushering me inside before climbing in beside me. "You know where to go, Sam."

"You got it, Cap," The man says, and then we're weaving through DC traffic, probably breaking a bunch of laws.

"If you're working, you may need to call your boss," Steve says calmly. "You won't be back for a while."

I swallow carefully and pick up my phone, going through the contacts and speaking in a monotone.

"I'm sorry, I don't know when I'll be back. I'll contact you as soon as possible." I say for the hundredth time.

The woman calls me a rude name before hanging up on me, and I sigh, flipping the phone shut. I glance up to see Steve watching me carefully, and I have to look away. He's looking at me too closely for my liking, especially since I don't know him.

"Do you have your inhaler?" He asks calmly as we pull to a stop at a private airport.

I slip out after him, ignoring his hand even though I feel like I should accept it. "Yes,"

He nods once. "Your friend will be contacted soon to make sure you have clothes. Right now I need you to come with me."

"Where are we going?" I ask, following him involuntarily.

He turns his head without stopping. "The Avengers Compound."

"Why?" I ask, stopping, and he finally turns to face me, moving closer so I can hear him better.

He hesitates, clearly thinking it over. "The men who attacked you today work for HYDRA."

I instantly remember what they said. "They think I'm close to you," I say quietly.

He nods once. "We need to keep you safe until then. You shouldn't be involved."

"I'm fine,"

He turns and keeps walking. "I'm afraid that's not the point. You need to be kept safe, and until then you can't leave."

I release a breath. "So I'm a prisoner?"

He studies me carefully. "No," He says quietly. He stops next to a door and presses a code that opens the door. "There should be clothes in here." I step inside curiously, and he says, "Someone will be in touch."

I turn to the door quickly, but it's already shut, and I turn back to the white walls, white floor, and single cot.

I'm a prisoner.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

I slowly pace the room, once again bored out of my mind. I think I've been in here for two days now, and nothing has happened. Sometimes a worker will come in and give me food, always around the same time, but no one stays long enough for me to say anything other than thank you.

Letting out a small sigh, I stop and take a long look at the door. Steve told me someone would talk to me, but I have yet to hear anything. I bite my lip nervously and inch towards the door, lifting a shaky hand to touch the knob. No alarms go off, causing me to relax and grip the handle before shoving it open. I wait a beat, but again I don't hear any footsteps, so I peek down the hallway before stepping out and softly closing the door behind me. I wait anxiously, unsure where I should go to get out, and then I faintly hear steady thuds coming from the right. I frown a little, moving towards the sound and going down a few hallways before pausing outside of the door, moving so I can see inside but no one should see me.

Steve Rogers is standing in a fighting stance, white shirt soaked in sweat and sticking to him as he pounds wrapped hands into a punching bag. I hold in a small breath as I watch, noticing how focused his eyes are and how he seems to be beating his frustration out of his system until the chain snaps, sending the bag smacking into the wall.

I let out a small gasp, and he stills. I quickly move and almost jog down the hallway, easily remembering where the cell is and slipping inside before anyone can see me. I move towards the bed and sit down, my mind replaying his training on repeat. Why would Captain America look so frustrated when his only problem- me- is being handled by someone else? In fact, he seemed furious. Why be so upset when he could never see me again and let HYDRA kill me.

Hold on, Maggie. I chide myself. He's Captain America. He has more problems to deal with than a stupid girl who was in his way. Think strategically.

I release a slow breath before stilling. Why come after me to begin with? After all, he's an Avenger. There are members of his team that would be better bait, and he was only helping me because I was a witness having an asthma attack. There's no reason for them to come after me… unless they knew what would happen, which means they wanted me to go in.

I rise off of the cot and tug open the door, only to freeze and stare at Steve's startled eyes. I instantly notice he's changed into a pair of jean and a plain black v-neck, and I fight back any interest in what he's wearing.

"What are you doing?" I ask automatically.

His brow furrows as he frowns down at me, reminding me of how much bigger than me he is. "I could ask you the same thing. Where are you going?"

I clear my throat slightly, breaking eye contact and trying not to think about what I saw. "I think you made a mistake by taking me in."

He crosses his arms, making his muscles flex in yet another reminder of his strength. "Why do you say that?"

I force myself to meet his gaze. "There's no benefit in attacking me. One of the other members of your team would have been better for bait. If they knew what would happen if they came after me, then they wanted you to bring me in. There has to be something behind it."

"We know," He says calmly, his eyes sincere. "We have our systems prepared for any attack or virus that could get any information." He pauses, looking curious. "Why are you worried about a potential HYDRA attack?"

I shift uneasily. "It didn't make sense to me, and you have more important things to do than to keep tabs on a civilian."

Steve doesn't say anything for a moment, and then he nods to my room. "May I?"

I step aside automatically, and he's just stepped inside before I blurt, "You lied to me, Captain."

He turns to face me, looking confused as I shut the door with my back to him. "What?"

I move to the cot, still not making eye contact. "You told me someone would speak to me, but no one has."

Steve looks a little confused and slightly irritated. "I told my team that you needed to be debriefed, but apparently I should have told them to do it." He releases a breath and nods once. "I'm sorry for the mistake. You shouldn't have been left here for so long without being spoken to."

I bite my lip nervously. "It's fine." I clear my throat. "Why were you outside my cell, Captain?"

"Steve," He tugs the stool from the corner and settles in front of me. "I saw you outside of the gym and decided to check in."

I flush a little. "Sorry,"

He shakes his head, eyes focused on mine and looking almost… warm. Maybe a little amused. "Do you know who went after you?"

I shake my head. "I remember him from when you were fighting, but I've never seen him before that."

Steve nods. "What were you doing when he came after you?"

"Preparing for my class," I say simply.

Steve tilts his head curiously. "Your class?"

I swallow a little awkwardly, not wanting to tell him what I do. He's too interested for my liking, and if he's only helping me because of his sense of duty, he shouldn't know any of this. "I teach a class."

"What do you teach?"

"Dancing," I say automatically.

He keeps his eyes steady on mine, making me want to look away. "You're lying."

I look away. "I can't dance."

He offers a faint smile. "Neither can I. What do you teach?"

I swallow and shift self consciously. "Cooking,"

He nods thoughtfully. "You can relax, Maggie." I meet his eyes quickly, catching his small smile. "I'm not going to attack you."

"Do you do anything besides train the others?" I ask.

He pauses, mulling it over. "I work here," He says finally. "I keep up with the compound and make sure everyone does what they're supposed to."

"I meant for fun," I gain some of my confidence back and meet his eyes. "Everyone needs something that makes them happy."

His lips twitch a little. "I like to cook,"

I pause. "You're only saying that to make me feel better,"

"Wrong," He rises, watching me with light eyes. "I cook all the time. I'm good at it too,"

I raise my eyebrows as he moves towards the door. "How do you know? Has anyone else said so?"

He turns around, and I'm surprised to see a smirk on his lips. "I'm the only one who's had it,"

He shuts the door behind him before I can respond, and breathe out a small laugh before realizing that he managed to calm me down without even hesitating. My smile fades, and I prop my back against the wall and mentally go over everything that happened, trying to figure out how much of it was a lie.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

I sit nervously in the chair, tapping my fingers against my leg in an effort to distract myself, but it's useless. The walls are plain white, there is a large metal table in the center of the room, and there are two chairs on the opposite side of the table. I've never been in an interrogation room before, and I know that this is only meant to intimidate me.

Unfortunately, it's working.

The door opens, and I look up to see a beautiful woman with deep red hair and striking blue green eyes walking into the room, wearing a black cat suit with an A on one side and a utility belt with enough pockets to hide almost anything. "Maggie?" She asks, looking at me expectantly.

I nod once, deciding it's safer to keep my mouth shut until I know what's going on.

"Tone it down," Steve says warningly, walking in behind and sending her a bit of a look. He turns to me and offers a faint smile, making me even more sure that yesterday was staged. "If it's alright with you, I'm going to help. Sometimes Natasha can be… aggressive."

I nod once, not bothering to hide the distrust as I focus my attention on the table.

The redhead- Natasha- slides into the chair gracefully and relaxes, crossing her arms and pressing them into the table. "Is your real name Maggie?"

I shake my head. "Margaret," I say, a little unhappily. I've never liked my name, but my parents loved it, so I never complained to them.

Natasha nods once, not reacting as Steve slips into the seat beside her. "Margaret Smith. Only child, asthmatic, teaches cooking classes?"

I glance at Steve, keeping myself emotionless as I process what all she knows. "You already know that," I say finally, keeping my voice quiet.

Natasha glances at Steve, and he moves his head to catch my gaze, holding it captive as he keeps them warm. "We're just trying to understand," He says reassuringly.

I send him a dark glare. "Drop the good cop bad cop act. We both know that your kindness is forced, and it's insulting that you think it can work." Steve blinks, looking a little surprised, and I promptly turn my attention to Natasha. "Yes, that is me."

Natasha nods once, looking torn between impressed and suspicious. "Do you know why those men came after you?"

I hesitate, biting my lip. "I have a theory." Natasha tilts her head slightly, and I take the silent order. "I think they came after me because they saw Captain Rogers helping me."

"Steve," He corrects quietly, but I don't bother to look at him.

"I'm not sure why," I continue, feeling uneasy. "If you think about it, it would have been better to capture one of the other Avengers, not a civilian who was in the way."

Natasha keeps her gaze steady. "What do you think?" She asks calmly.

I keep eyes contact. "I think they went after me knowing you would bring me in."

She nods once. "That's what we thought." She turns to Steve. "I told you that we shouldn't have brought her in. They're using her to get access."

"I know," He says calmly. "I couldn't let an innocent civilian die."

I clear my throat carefully, not wanting to draw too much attention to myself. "Is there anything else?"

She only spares me a glance. "We'll be keeping you here until we're sure no one is going to attack you. Steve will take you to your cell."

I rise at the same time Steve does, not looking at him, and we silently make our way to my cell.

"Why do you think I'm forcing myself to be nice to you?" He asks, stopping by the door.

I glare at him, having to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. "You only asked me questions yesterday because I hadn't been interrogated yet and you wanted information."

"What makes you think it wasn't genuine?" He asks, his face unchanging and completely serious.

I hold his gaze for a long moment. "You're a liar, Rogers," I say quietly, unable to break eye contact. I finally turn and open the door, unsurprised to find it unlocked, and step inside without looking back.

"Maggie?"

I pause, the door halfway shut. I turn and meet his eyes, catching the slight warmth as he watches me carefully.

"I'm always honest." He says quietly.

Then he walks away.

…

"She's still there," A HYDRA agent growls, pacing the room.

"Patience," A voice says calmly, watching him calmly. "Sooner or later they'll release her, and then we can go for her again."

"Why her?" The agent asks, turning to his superior. "She is nothing to him. The other Avengers would have been a better choice."

"You weren't the one watching them interact," The man says, smirking at the memory of her terrified face as he walked into her workplace. "Soon they will be connected, and we will take him and his precious blood. We will get the serum."

The agent shakes his head. "We should have taken him while we had the chance."

"Patience is a virtue," The man says calmly, toying with his gun as he lounges in the office chair. "Rumlow taught me that. We will wait and take them at their weakest."

"How do you know they will be weak?"

The gunman smirks, straightening in his seat. "Attachment is deadly. Friendship, love, partnership- all are destructive, and the Avengers little team may be connected enough to withstand us, but this civilian- this pathetic little girl- will ruin all of it."

The agent nods reluctantly. "Whatever you say, sir." He turns to walk out before stopping at the door. "And when she fails?"

"She won't fail," The man says firmly. "HYDRA has come too far to let that happen."


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

I stare at the chessboard seriously, silently going over different techniques while sitting alone. I've avoided leaving my room all week for fear of seeing Steve, but being alone in an empty room for so long makes everything worse. I still don't know why HYDRA went after me, I still don't know what HYDRA wants that's here, and I still don't know how truthful Steve Rogers is being.

What scares me the most is that I want to trust him.

"Can I join?"

I jump, tensing, and I turn around in my seat to see Steve watching me calmly. I clear my throat carefully before nodding, not trusting my voice as he slides into the seat across from me.

"I didn't mean to scare you," He says calmly, eyes on the board. He moves his piece before meeting my eyes. "How have you been?"

I move my piece, unsure how to answer. "Fine, I guess."

He tilts his head. "Is something wrong?"

I glance at his pieces. "Your move, Captain."

"Steve," He moves his piece before catching my gaze. "I haven't seen you all week. I was worried."

About me or what you think I know? I swallow carefully and focus on my next move.

Steve reads me like an open book. "I want to be friends, Maggie," I fight back the blush, feeling chills, and convince myself I'm just under the air vent. "I don't know what you've convinced yourself about me, but I won't lie to you."

I lift my head and meet his eyes. "Why are the Avengers so concerned about HYDRA coming after me?"

He frowns. "What do you mean?"

"I'm a civilian." I say firmly. "I have nothing to do with you, and the only reason I'm here is because HYDRA went after me. Why keep me here when it would obviously be better to let me go?"

He studies me for a long moment. "I don't want you getting hurt," He says quietly.

Before I can block it my cheeks flush, and I quickly duck my head and let my red hair shield me. "It's your move," I say calmly.

Nothing happens for a long moment, and then I hear the gentle noise of the piece landing.

"I hope you beat him," A new voice says.

I jerk my head up to see Natasha Romanoff standing beside us, arms crossed as she stares at the board.

"Really?" He asks, raising his eyebrows as he looks at her. "You're supposed to be on my side."

She shrugs. "That's what friends are for." She turns to me. "Your move."

I hesitate before carefully moving the piece. Why is she here? "Thanks," I say quietly.

Steve glances at her. "I thought you were training the initiates?"

"Already finished." She glances at him questioningly. "It's already eleven, Rogers."

He hums in acknowledgement, moving his chess piece. "I thought you wanted to teach them that new technique."

"I did. Someone had to go to the infirmary."

I blink, focusing on the chessboard and trying not to think about that.

Steve catches my gaze for a split second before looking at her and asking, "You?"

"Unfortunately no," She watches me move my chess piece. "Though if he keeps looking at me like that I may need to reconsider holding back."

I shudder slightly, and a foot nudges mine under the table, only prompting me to move my legs back. "Careful, Romanoff," He says calmly.

I glance at her, seeing her smirk. "Maybe you should be more careful," She says calmly, watching his move.

He frowns slightly, and I move my final piece. "Checkmate,"

He studies the board closely. "I let you win,"

Natasha winks at me. "Doubt it."

He rises to his feet and stretches, and my eyes instantly move to his flexing muscles before I jerk my gaze to my clasped hands, hiding them under the table and ignoring Natasha's calculating look.

"Come on," He says, and I glance up to see him watching me closely.

I blink. "Where?"

"My floor," I tense, and he adds, "I'm letting you off of this floor. You look like you need a break."

"I am taking a break," I argue quietly.

He sends me a warning look, eyebrows raised.

I sigh, forcing myself to rise and follow him to the elevator. I catch Natasha's eyes before the doors shut, and the thoughtfulness in her eyes makes me tense.

"You've been avoiding me," Steve says quietly, keeping his gaze straight ahead. I glance over, biting my lip, and he turns his head to catch my gaze. "Why don't you trust me?"

I look down, considering. "Tacticians use people," I say quietly.

"Not all of them," Steve says calmly. "Lying to you would only make this more difficult."

I nod once, keeping my eyes straight ahead even though he's still watching me. "It's always about the mission with people like you."

He stays silent for a long moment, and before he can say anything the doors open. He leads the way into his living room, and I take in the plain furniture and simple technology, appreciating that he's pacing himself with everything new. I know he's had to adjust quickly, but he doesn't seem to be pushing things.

"Follow me," He says calmly, drawing me from my thoughts and leading the way into a simple but nice kitchen. I hesitate a moment, dragging out my steps, and he turns to watch me calmly.

"Teach me," He says simply.

I pause. "Teach you?"

He nods once, giving me a gentle look. "You teach people how to cook, right? Show me."

I take a deep breath and step farther inside, making him smile slightly. "What do you have?"

He smiles and opens some of his cupboards, eyes warm as he watches me rise on my tiptoes to see. "What are you thinking?"

I step back and nod once. "Hand me something."

He smiles, handing a pot over before stepping beside me, watching as I stretch for a box and handing it to me before I resort to jumping. "Show me what you want me to do,"

I mentally go through what he has. "How do you feel about spaghetti?"


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am honestly just happy you all have bothered to look at this. Sorry I haven't commented; I'm not 100% sure what to say, so... Hope you like it!

Chapter Six

Bang bang bang!

I groan a little, burying farther under the covers and squeezing my eyes shut tighter.

Bang bang bang!

"I know you're in there," Natasha calls, and I jerk upright and stare at the door nervously. "I need to talk to you."

I swallow carefully. "Coming," I call shakily, shoving to my feet and moving towards the door before I lose my nerve. I tug the door open cautiously, and Natasha brushes past me, dropping onto the stool. I nervously close my door, aware of my unmade bed and that I haven't brushed my hair. "Can I help you?" I ask worriedly.

Her face doesn't change. "Sit down," She says calmly, nodding towards the bed.

I carefully lower myself on my bed.

"You and Rogers," She says bluntly, getting right to the point.

I blink, confused. "What about us?" I ask carefully. If my tone is even slightly off, she could lose her patience and decide not to play nice.

Her eyes change slightly. "Relax. I'm not going to attack you," She makes a lazy sweep of the room, taking in the plain cell. "Fury should have moved you to a better room."

I choose not to comment, though I personally agree. "What about us?" I repeat, a little more forcefully.

She meets my eyes. "You two seem awfully close for people who don't know each other."

I release a slightly frustrated breath. "I wish people would stop saying that. I don't know him; he's the one trying to approach me."

She raises an eyebrow, thinking about it. "You get nervous around him,"

I wince. "There are motives behind every interaction with me. It's hard to relax around him knowing that."

Now she frowns. "There are no orders regarding you at all. We're just making sure HYDRA is no longer pursuing you."

I purse my lips. "He wants information from me."

Natasha rises calmly, and I know she doesn't want to argue about it. "I'm sorry I woke you. I'm going to talk to Fury about sending you to a different room. Of course, the only one open is on Roger's temporary floor-"

"I'm fine here," I say quickly.

She smirks a little. "We don't know how long you're going to be here, Maggie. You might as well be comfortable." I open my mouth to protest, but she's already gone. I sigh wearily and turn to the bed, starting to make it and letting myself think about what she's said.

"Are you busy?"

I gasp, jerking around and throwing the pillow that was in my hand at the intruder.

Steve catches it easily, staring at me with slightly wide eyes. "Are you alright?"

I breathe carefully, clearing my throat awkwardly. "Sorry," I choke out, clearing my throat again. "I didn't mean to throw something at you."

He glances at the pillow still in his hands. "I'm not sure I believe that."

I blush a little, turning back to the bed. "Can I help you?" I ask calmly.

I hear footsteps, and then I turn to see Steve an inch away, studying me carefully. "Are you sure you're alright?" He asks quietly.

I nod, quickly taking the pillow and finishing. "I'm sorry, I just woke up a few minutes ago and haven't had time to clean up."

"It's fine," He eyes my hair with a faint smile. "It looks cute on you."

I ignore my burning cheeks and send him a glare. "I'm not interested in being used as a test subject for whatever tricks Mr. Stark has shone you."

He meets my eyes calmly. "I was wondering if you could meet me on my floor- after you get dressed."

I nod once. "Of course. Should I eat first?"

He shakes his head. "Just get ready and meet me on my floor. F.R.I.D.A.Y. should be able to help you."

"Friday?" I ask, confused.

Realization lights his eyes. "You haven't had a chance to meet her yet, have you?" He shakes his head a little. "I'm sorry. F.R.I.D.A.Y. is Tony's artificial intelligence system. She runs the building."

"Good evening," A female voice says through the ceiling, making me jump. "I apologize for not introducing myself earlier."

I swallow carefully. "Nice to meet you." I look at Steve, and he must sense the panic in my eyes.

"Fury likes to keep her quiet around guests," He explains gently. "Since we don't know how long you will be here, I don't want you to be surprised if you hear her."

There's the motive for F.R.I.D.A.Y. "I understand." I glance at the now made bed. "I can be ready in five minutes."

Steve nods, moving towards the door, and I put my face in my hands before forcing myself to move towards the closet.

"Maggie?"

I glance at him, surprised to see him smiling.

"I was being honest. It looks cute on you." I open my mouth, intending to tell him off, but he's already gone, leaving me to get ready with burning cheeks.

…

"How do you keep doing that?" I ask, accepting the spatula I had been about to ask for.

Steve offers a slight smirk. "I guess I'm just that smart."

I roll my eyes and focus on the food. "I need the-" I cut myself off, glaring at the bag of chocolate chips. "Quit it."

He chuckles, watching me angrily add them to the bowl. "Do you always cook when you're mad?"

"No," I clip. "This would be the first."

He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, making me freeze. "Is that so?"

I force the blush down and focus on cooking. "Usually I don't have super soldiers there to aggravate me."

He laughs, moving back to grab something, and I breath a sigh of relief at the distance. Somehow it's hard to focus with him so close, and he seems to like seeing it. I don't know what the motive behind it is, though. "Maybe you should cook around them more often."

"I doubt it," I shoot back, pouring pancake mix onto the skillet. I set the bowl down and turn to see him watching me. He looks away, focusing carefully on setting the table, and I take a nervous breath. "Steve?"

He looks up instantly, watching me carefully. "Yes?"

I bite my lip. "Where is the shooter?"

He hesitates. "You can't tell anyone." He warns quietly. I nod once, and he takes a breath. "We don't know. He's gone."


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Six

I pace the floor anxiously, ignoring the man leaning against the wall who is watching my every move.

"We're looking for him," Steve says calmly, his eyes tracking my movements. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" I snap, turning on him. "I'll be an even bigger burden now that you have to track him down."

"Hey," He surges forward, catching my arms in his strong hands and forcing me to be still. "You're not a burden. I need to keep you safe."

My chest warms a little, but I ignore it. "You shouldn't worry about me being safe. You should worry about your team and keeping them safe."

"I can take care of one more person," He crosses his arms, his eyes burning with a small challenge. "You're an innocent civilian. You need to be protected."

"I can handle myself."

"And if you have an asthma attack?"

I snap my mouth shut."That's different."

"Is it?" He raises a challenging eyebrow. "Once we've eliminated the threat, you can go home."

My chest pangs slightly, but I straighten. "You don't understand anything."

"I understand that you're in danger because of me." He shifts closer, following even as I step back, and I knock into a wall. He moves quickly, only a few inches away, and I know I'm trapped. "I don't want anything else to happen to you."

I struggle to keep my breathing normal. I don't know what he keeps doing to me, but it needs to stop. "I can handle it," I say, slightly unsteady.

He doesn't say anything for a long moment, his unwavering gaze searching my eyes, and he finally steps back, letting me breathe. "Come on. We're going out."

I don't move. "Out?"

He glances at me as he reaches for his navy blue jacket. "Out."

I blink, watching him grab a pair of grey Nikes. "Where?"

He looks at me with upturned eyes, tying his laces. "I thought you would have been anxious to leave?"

I purse my lips a little. "I would rather know where I was going."

He rises, moving closer, and I have to tilt my head back slightly to keep eye contact. "There haven't been any signs of them in this area," He reaches out and brushes a strand of hair from my face. I freeze, unsure what to do, and he seems to realize what he's doing and steps back. "We can go to the park. At least you'll be out for a few minutes."

I nod, glancing down at my plain jeans, black Converse, and white shirt. "I'm going to find a jacket."

He moves towards a small closet and pulls out a small grey hoodie. "Natasha left this after we took down SHIELD." He says calmly, handing it to me. "You can keep it. SHe never came back for it."

I slide it on surprisingly easily, trying to ignore how it smells a little like him, and look at him gratefully. "Thank you."

He smiles, showing dimples I had only seen once before, and opens the door for me, walking beside me as we head towards the elevator.

…

"It's beautiful," I breathe, staring around and most likely looking insane.

Steve smiles, watching me. "Is this your first time in New York?"

I nod, turning to look at him. "Is it hard for you? Seeing how much has changed?"

He looks around, contemplating. "Not as hard as it used to be. I've gotten used to it," He catches my eyes and grins. "I'm sure it's different for you though."

I shrug. "It's not what I expected. I'd rather be in DC."

"I agree," He leads the way farther in the park, and I pick up my pace slightly.

"So do I," I new voice says, and I whip around to see the shooter from the other day smirking at me. "I knew you would come out eventually," He toys with a gun, and I step back, accidentally knocking into Steve's solid chest. I open my mouth to apologize, but he moves around me so I'm behind him.

"Leave her out of this," Steve orders, using his Captain America voice and making me shiver a little from what is hopefully intimidation.

The shooter tilts his head, smirking. "You're the one who brought her into this, Captain,"

I step back nervously, glancing at the men approaching him, and then hands grab my arms. I scream, trying to fight back, but they clamp a hand over my mouth and drag me off, making me fight harder. Soon I start wheezing, unable to get air back and forcing myself to stop fighting back.

"Maggie!" He yells, and I look over to see him fighting men off, looking at me every few seconds.

I shake my head, but the men holding me drag me off until I can't see him anymore. I grip the arm that's preventing me from breathing, but I don't try to pry him off as he drags me into a large black van similar to the ones I've seen at the Avengers facility. Before I can blink I'm thrown inside, and I quickly turn to face him, bracing myself against the floor for support.

The shooter stands in front of the open doors, smirking darkly at me. "It's too bad you didn't come out sooner," He says calmly. "You could have seen Jonathan before he died."

He slams the door shut, and I lean against the wall, trying to breathe. I take in the seats and the industrial shackles beside me, and I know they're for Steve. I bite my lip and eye the door, regaining my ability to breathe, but before I can to anything the doors are yanked open, revealing Steve breathing as if he'd been training and seeing me quickly.

"Are you alright?" He asks, helping me down and looking for injuries.

I shake my head. "You should be more worried about yourself, Captain."

"Maggie," He warns.

"I'm fine. Are you hurt?"

He shakes his head. "I've already healed. Do you know why he went after you?"

I shake my head, Jonathan's face flashing in my mind. "I don't know, but…"

"But what?" He asks, watching me carefully.

I swallow. "They killed someone I used to know. Unless it has something to do with him, they shouldn't be going after me."

His lips tighten as he thinks about it. "I'll see what I can do." He rests a hand on my back and moves towards the road, signaling for a black Mustang.

"Steve?"

He stops, looking at me worriedly.

I force myself to take a deep breath. "They had shackles. I think they were for you."

He studies me carefully, but as he opens his mouth to speak the Mustang from before pulls up, and the passenger window rolls down to reveal Natasha Romanoff.

"Looks like we need to talk," She says calmly.

Steve glances at me. "We do," He opens the back door for me before sliding into the passenger seat.

I look out the window, my mind wandering.

You could have seen Jonathan before he died.

I squeeze my eyes shut, blocking out the memories, and I remind myself that all tacticians are the same.


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

"How is she?" Steve asks, standing beside me with his arms crossed. I'm sitting on a metal table, and a man with brown hair and eyes is moving away from me.

"She's fine." The doctor- or who I assume is the doctor- says calmly, turning to face him. "But I've told you, I'm not that kind of doctor."

"You're the doctor I trust," Steve says calmly. "Maggie, this is Dr. Banner."

He nods once. I stay silent and avert my eyes.

Steve offers me a hand down, and when I move to get down by myself he grabs my hips and lifts me up before setting me on my feet.

"I was fine," I protest, still following him as he leads me out with a hand on my back.

"I know," He says calmly, stepping into the hallway where Natasha is waiting. "She's fine."

Natasha nods once, completely focused. "We need to decide what to do next if they went after her."

"I heard the name Jonathan," Steve says, making me tense. "Maybe he has something to do with them."

"Not anymore," I say calmly.

Both turn to look at me. "Not anymore?" Steve asks in his Captain America voice, a hard edge to it.

I bite my lip, avoiding their eyes.

"Maggie," Natasha says coldly, and I glance up as Steve sends her a glare.

"Jonathan is someone I used to know," I say quietly. "If they killed him, he either got in their way or they decided they no longer need him."

"How did you know him?" Steve asks calmly, his eyes almost soothing.

I hesitate. "He was an old friend," I say quietly, not completely lying. Steve frowns, and before he can say anything I add, "I broke contact a long time ago. I didn't know anything had happened to him."

Steve tilts his head, eyes curious. "You stopped talking to him?"

I bite my lip. "It's a long story."

Steve frowns, clearly wanting to push the issue, but Natasha steps forward. "Why would they go after you?"

I shake my head helplessly. "I don't know. I think it's just because-" I cut myself off, not wanting to cause any problems.

"Because?" She prompts, raising an eyebrow.

I wince, looking at the ground. "Because Steve is trying to protect me. They know they can target his sense of duty by attacking the civilian he's trying to protect."

Natasha nods, as if it makes sense. "We'll keep you inside for as long as possible. That way we can make sure they don't come after you again."

I nod once, and Steve puts a hand on my lower back again before leading me down the hall. I relax at the warmth from his hand, most likely the serum's doing, and I try to think of something to say.

"You said you couldn't dance, right?" Steve asks suddenly.

I blink. "Yes," I say carefully.

"I think we should try," He says calmly.

I don't say anything, waiting for him to tell me it's a joke, but it never comes. "I don't really have anything to wear to go dancing," I say quietly.

"You don't have to," He stops outside of my door, turning to face me. "Just come."

I hesitate for a long moment. "Ok," I say quietly, hoping I'm right about his reasons.

He smiles beautifully, making me scold myself for thinking that way. "I'll see you in my gym," He says gently. "Meet me tonight at six."

I force myself to nod, and he disappears down the hall, leaving me to release a breath and gain a little more air before slipping into my room. I instantly see my phone on the desk, and I see a note next to it.

I found this with the other things they took from you. Tony put some restrictions on it, but I made sure you could still talk to your friend. I would call her soon; it looked like she'd been trying to talk to you for a while.

-S

I bite my lip and fold the note carefully, slipping it under the mattress before turning back to my phone and checking the time.

I have three hours.

I nervously grab the phone and dial her number.

"Maggie!" Zoe yells instantly, making me wince. "Where are you?"

I glance around nervously. "It's a long story. Steve Rogers took me to the Avengers compound for safety. I can't tell you much, but-"

"If Captain Rogers is trying to protect you, I'm not arguing," She says flatly. "I heard they may have found his friend. True or not true?"

I pause. "I have no idea," I admit helplessly. "I hope so; he deserves it."

"Sounds like you're getting attached," Zoe says knowingly. "I don't blame you. Does he know about Jonathan yet?"

"I'd rather not tell him unless necessary." I say honestly. "He knows he's an old friend I lost touch with."

"Hmm," Zoe says disapprovingly. "Tell him soon." I don't answer, and she presses on. "Just tell me when you come back, ok?" There's yelling, and then my best friend curses. "I have to go. Stay safe," She hangs up before I can say anything, and I sigh, setting it on the table before dropping on the bed, wondering what I'm going to do being alone with a super soldier.

…

I take an unsteady breath as I step into the gym, seeing everything pushed against a wall and an old record player across from me, playing a song from the 40s. Steve is standing in front of it, dressed in his old military uniform, and I feel extremely underdressed.

"Wow," I whisper, making him smile beautifully.

He slowly moves closer to me, offering his hand. "Would you like to dance?"

I cautiously take his hand, and he gently tugs me against him, one hand on my waist and the other holding mine, and he easily leads me into the slow song.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance?" I ask, staring up into his eyes.

He chuckles, pulling me closer. "Anything for my best girl," He whispers, making me blush furiously against better judgement.

"Liar," I whisper. "I bet you use that line on all of the girls."

He chuckles again, tilting his head down so his lips are by my ear. "Only one," I feel him smirk as I involuntarily shiver, and he whispers, "Just follow my lead."

I close my eyes and rest my head in the crook of his neck, relaxing to the sound of him humming along and letting him lead me across the makeshift floor.

For once, I don't think about his motives. I just feel.


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

"How long have you been working on that?"

Steve stops working on the bag, turning to face me with a smile. "How long have you been standing there?"

"I asked first."

He moves, unwrapping his hands as he approaches me. "A few hours."

I glance at the clock. "What time did you get up?"

He glances where I'm looking. "Six,"

"Three hours," I shake my head. "I've only been here a few minutes. I heard you go in, but I thought you'd want some space."

He smiles a little, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "You wouldn't have bothered me," He says quietly. Our eyes meet, making my breath catch, and after a long moment he straightens. "We're still locating him. So far he's managed to remain under the radar, even after the attack, but we're doing what we can to find him."

I nod, lost in thought, and he hesitates before tilting my chin up. "I need to talk to you," He says quietly.

My stomach knots. "Did I do something?"

He's silent for a long moment. "Not exactly."

I open my mouth to speak, but someone clears their throat, and we both turn out heads to see Natasha watch us carefully.

"Shower before you say anything," She says simply, moving towards the mat.

"Romanoff-" Steve starts, but he sighs and turns back to me. "Quit smiling," He mutters, but I can tell he isn't serious. "I'm going to get a shower. I'll meet you in your room."

I nod, moving towards the door, and then I hear, "Maggie?"

I stop, turning to meet Natasha's eyes.

"Be careful," She says calmly, but I can see the warning in her eyes. "Withholding information won't get you out any faster."

I swallow calmly, my gaze unwavering. "Thank you," I say quietly, and I see Steve glare at her as I disappear into my cell. I take a moment to breathe before sitting on my bed and losing myself in my thoughts. She knows. I only kept things from them because I didn't want to admit how stupid I am in front of him. Like it or not, Steve has become a friend, and I don't want Jonathan to ruin that as well.

In only a couple of minutes there's a gentle knock at the door, and I jump, moving towards the door and tugging it open to see Steve smiling softly at me.

"Would you like to eat with me?" He asks quietly.

I bite my lip, thinking about Natasha's words. "I don't know if-"

"Maggie," He cuts in gently.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "Let's go."

…

"Natasha was telling the truth," I say quietly, picking at the omelette I taught Steve how to make. "I did withhold information."

"I know," He says calmly, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

I pause, staring at him. "You knew?"

He sets the napkin in his lap slowly, carefully keeping his eyes on his glass of water. "I'm obligated to search for whoever you mention. I know who Jonathan is."

I tilt my head. "How much?"

"He bought out your mother's company and was close to you," He says calmly, meeting my eyes as he takes a drink. "Your mother died not long afterwards."

I shake my head. "He was my fiancé. He used me to buy my mother's company, and she died because I couldn't afford the medicine."

Steve stills, carefully setting the glass down. "You broke off the engagement?" He asks carefully, as if he hadn't heard the other part of the sentence.

"He told me. I broke it off with him before he could."

Steve pauses, cautiously reaching across his table and squeezing my hand. "I'm sorry," He says quietly.

I try to take a steady breath, but his warm hand on mine isn't helping me much. "It's no one's fault."

Something seems to connect, and I see recognition flicker in his eyes. "That's why you didn't trust me," He says quietly.

I glance down. "I thought you were like him," I whisper.

This thumb sweeps over my knuckles, and I shiver against my will. "And now?"

I meet his eyes, and neither of us say anything for a long moment. "I'm starting to," I say quietly.

He smiles, taking his hand back, and I almost miss the warmth before he rises and offers me his hand. "Let's go."

"Where?" I ask, only offering a slight resistance as he catches my hand and leads me to the couch and sets me down. I open my mouth to ask again, but he disappears into one of the rooms. I sigh a little before leaning back, and he quickly appears again, a sketchbook in hand.

He sits next to me and offers it, looking a little embarrassed. I take it hesitantly and open it to instantly see a beautiful sketch of a woman.

"My mother," He says quietly. I glance at him, shocked he would show me this, and I skip a couple of pages to see a picture of a man with dark hair and dark eyes, smiling in a war uniform. "That's my best friend. Bucky. We thought he died, but HYDRA only froze him.

I stare at his face. "The Winter Soldier. I saw something on the news about it."

He nods once. "We're still looking for him."

I reach over and squeeze his hand. He squeezes back.

"You'll find him," I say quietly. He offers a small smile, and I flip the page to see another sketch of a woman with dark hair and eyes.

Steve puts his face beside mine. "That's-"

"Peggy Carter," I say quietly. He tilts his head curiously, and I add, "I helped Zoe set up a Captain America exhibit about a month ago."

Recognition flickers in his eyes. "Your friend." He says knowingly, and I nod once. "She works in a museum."

"Yes, and she loves it. She's always asking me to help her," I smile a little sadly. "She helped me after my mom died."

"What about your father?"

I shake my head. "He died a long time ago." He keeps staring steadily at me, and I give in. "He died in a car accident. I don't remember him."

Steve sags at that sadly, but he only moves a little closer and keeps his hand over mine. "Tell me about it."

"About what?" He asks, looking at me with a small frown.

"Growing up. Joining the army. Everything." He stares at me, completely blank. "I'm seeing how much is true."

He blinks and clears his throat, watching me close his book carefully and set it on the end table. "I grew up being extremely sick and weak…"


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this guys! I really appreciate the support! :)

Chapter Ten

I sigh happily, half asleep and snuggling closer to the warmth surrounding me. I nudge my face a little closer to a warm chest, and something tightens slightly around me. I groan a little, blinking a couple of times, and I suck in a sharp breath as I register the white shirt in front of me. I glance up nervously, unsure what to do, and my breath stalls when I see Steve's sleeping face, peaceful and relaxed as he subconsciously tugs me closer. I remember him telling me about the war, Peggy and Bucky, Erksine and Howard and their dangerous experiments. In turn I told him about my mother and Zoe, how we had almost nothing until my mother opened up the business Jonathan stole from her.

"It's ten o'clock,"

I jump a little at the new voice, and I glance over as much as possible to see Natasha standing there calmly, arms crossed as she watches us. "Sorry?" I croak, trying to focus through the warmth around me.

"The time. It's ten," She tilts her head, watching Steve's face for a moment before glancing back to me. "I've never seen him willing to sleep in."

I bite my lip, thinking about it, and I suck in a breath as he pulls me impossibly closer. "Sorry," I offer quietly, unsure how to answer.

She shakes her head. "Don't be. He needs to sleep more anyway."

"I'm fine," He mutters, and I jump out of my skin. He slowly opens his eyes, instantly meeting mine, and he smiles gently. "Are you alright?" He asks, brushing my hair back from my face and making me realize how much of a mess it is.

I nod, reaching up to move a strand of his hair back without thinking, and he closes his eyes for a moment until I jerk my hand back. "Fine," I answer, unable to meet his eyes despite them watching me.

Natasha clears her throat, and my cheeks flush even more. "I'll handle training for today," She says calmly, eyes on me. "I need to talk to you later."

I nod once, dread seeping into my stomach, and she leaves without another word. I take a shaky breath, and Steve shifts closer, holding me closer and allowing his lips to brush my temple. "I should have moved you to the bed," He whispers into my hair.

I shake my head, moving automatically to hold the sides of his shirt. "I should have left so I wouldn't have bothered you."

"You aren't bothering me," He says, tilting my chin up. I stare at him for a long moment, losing myself in his baby blue eyes, and his eyes flicker to my lips for a brief moment as he starts to lean in...

"Captain Rogers, Boss wants to see you in his lab." F.R.I.D.A.Y says.

Steve pauses before sighing, and we slowly sit up, his hand on my arm to make sure I don't slip off, and I turn to him as he stretches, revealing a strip of skin on his abs. "I'll come and get you in five minutes," He says calmly, staring right into my eyes.

I nod once, trying to keep my thoughts in check, and he grins before turning and disappearing into his bedroom. I quickly turn and move to the hallway, making my way into the elevator and my room before shaking off all thoughts of the soldier and moving towards the shower.

…

"This should help us keep an eye on her," Tony Stark says calmly, leading us to a table full of scrap metal. I remain silent, ignoring how the tight gray Under Armor shirt shows all of Steve's muscles and the gray sweats indicating he may go to his gym afterwards. "If they come back for her, we'll be able to go straight to her."

"Not fast enough," Steve says, arms crossed as he stares at the bracelet. "It could work, but I don't want her out there when we can't get to her fast enough."

Tony nods before handing me the thin band, and I easily clip it around my wrist. "You could probably keep it after this whole mess is over; Capsicle can find you easily after that."

I flush a little, but I manage to maintain eye contact. "Shut up,"

Steve grins, resting his hand on my lower back as we move towards the elevator. "Goodbye, Tony."

"Hey, it's not my fault you won't make your move." Tony calls behind us.

The elevator doors shut, and I open my mouth to ask a question before I'm spun, pushed back against the wall with Steve holding my hips and his face close to mine. I'm about to ask what he's doing, but his hips cover mine surprisingly gently. I freeze for a moment before letting my eyes close, raising my hands to run through his silky strands, and he makes a noise in the back of his throat, pushing a little closer. His fingers slip under the hem of my shirt, not moving any higher, and I grip his hair as I start to run out of air. He pulls back slowly, resting his forehead against mine as he keeps his eyes closed and breathes, and I can only follow his lead, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat.

"I'm sorry," He says quietly. I frown at him, and he sighs. "I'm supposed to be finding the shooter, not kissing you. You didn't say you trusted me; you said you were starting to. And that is no way to treat a lady."

I blush a little, biting my lip and trying to decide if he regrets it or not. "You don't need to be sorry," I say quietly.

He tilts my chin up, eyes searching mine, and he leans closer again as the doors open, revealing Natasha and a brown haired man.

"I told you," Natasha deadpans.

Steve sighs, moving back and glancing at her with slight irritation. "How are they?" He asks, choosing to just ignore her.

"Good. They asked about your status on the mission, but I told them it was none of their business," She winks, stepping in beside me and looking oblivious to Steve's contemplative expression. We all stand in an awkward silence until the door opens on my floor, and I sag in relief. I practically jump out, Steve right behind me, and we stop by the door before he turns to me.

"I shouldn't have kissed you," He says calmly, eyes on mine, and I notice how I can't read him at all.

"Then why did you?" I ask quietly, meeting his eyes.

He doesn't answer, shifting a little closer. "I have to finish the mission first," He says quietly. "I won't be able to focus on finding him."

"Then don't play with my emotions." I say, reaching for the door handle. "Have a good day, Captain."

I move inside, and he catches my arm, tugging me closer. "Don't mistake my meaning, Maggie," He says lowly, making me shiver slightly. "I don't regret it."

I keep my eyes on his. "Don't you?"

"No," He moves me closer to him. "I want to make sure he won't come after you again." I don't answer, focusing on a spot on the doorframe beside him, and he catches my other arm, pulling me to face him completely. "Do you?"

I bite my lip. "No."

I move to my room, shut the door, and try to ignore the flash of something dangerous in Steve's eyes.

A challenge.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who's been reading this! You have no idea how much I appreciate it

Chapter Eleven

"Maggie," Steve calls in his Captain America voice, pounding on my door.

I ignore him, standing in front of the door silently and debating whether or not to let him in like I have for the past five minutes. Kissing him was… amazing- I won't pretend it wasn't. But to say he shouldn't have right after? He should be focused on his work, and then he kissed me. I understand, but if that's his top priority he shouldn't have done it to begin with.

He pounds three more times. "I know you're in there," He calls, and I force myself to take a silent deep breath. "Open the door before I break it down."

I reach out and twist the knob, staring at Steve emotionlessly. "Can I help you?"

He doesn't waver. "I need to talk to you for a minute." he starts to push the door open, but I keep my hand planted, a sign that he's not welcome. "Maggie-"

"Did you honestly think you could kiss me, say you shouldn't have done it, and then walk back in here like you didn't do anything?" I start to shut the door, but he moves, blocking the door with his foot.

"I told you I don't regret it," He says firmly, eyes boring into mine. We don't say anything for a long moment, eyes searching each other, and then he grabs my arms and moves forward, pushing us into the cell and pressing forward until I knock into the bed, him pushing me to sit and then leaning with his hands planted on either side of me, his face close enough for his nose to brush mine.

"Why did you kiss me?" I ask quietly, glaring into his beautiful eyes. "Why bother if you were going to throw a fit afterwards?"

He keeps his eyes locked on mine. "I didn't throw a fit," He mutters.

I raise an eyebrow. "Your tantrum yesterday says otherwise." He huffs a barely-there laugh that makes me shove down the warmth in my chest. "Why kiss me if you were going to act like a jerk afterwards?"

"I don't want to lose focus on the shooter," He says forcefully, though I can tell it isn't directed at me. "You could get hurt if I don't focus on him. But I'll admit," He reaches up and brushes one of my fiery strands behind my ear, smirking a little at my shiver. "You're pretty distracting."

"Excuse me for being dragged here," I mutter, shoving his chest, but he doesn't move. "If I'm such a problem, why not let me go or send someone else to take care of me?"

"Because I don't want you to leave yet," He murmurs quietly, glancing at my lips in a movement I almost miss.

I open my mouth to snap at him, and he surges forward, capturing my lips with his. I try to scoot back, still angry with him, but he moves with me, cupping my neck with one hand and holding me gently. I finally close my eyes and relax, letting him keep it chaste before I feel his tongue tease the seam of my lips, asking for permission. I move my head, effectively breaking the kiss, and we stare at each other for a long moment before someone clears their throat.

"I'm shutting the door," Natasha says emotionlessly, and I don't think Steve even hears her, his eyes searching mine even as the door clicks shut.

"What was that for?" I ask quietly.

"I can't focus on the shooter with you here, and I can't pretend I don't feel anything for you." He tilts his head, watching me almost calculatingly. "You said in the elevator that I didn't need to be sorry. What changed your mind?"

"You acted like you were angry," I say flatly. "How was I supposed to believe you when you acted like kissing me was the biggest mistake of your life?"

"Kissing you was not a mistake." He says firmly, tensing slightly.

"It felt like it," I mutter, staring at the thin white blanket.

He catches my chin and forces me to meet his eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you," He says quietly, moving a little closer. "What will it take to prove it to you?"

I force myself to take a deep breath. "I guess that's up to you."

He waits a beat before straightening, eyes locked on mine. "Tonight. You and me. No Avengers, no cameras." I swallow nervously, nodding once, and he smirks mischievously. "See you then."

Then he walks away.

…

Brock Rumlow stares at the wall in silence, struggling to keep his anger in check. "You failed to collect one little girl," He says quietly. "And you failed to tell me until now."

The gunman keeps his head down. "I was fighting Captain Rogers at the time, sir. I apologize for the inconvenience."

Rumlow smirks, eyeing him like a proud father. "You brought the traitor to me. That I can forgive." He pushes up from his seat and watches them carefully. "HYDRA was Alexander Pierce's pride and joy. I have done everything in my power to finish what he's started- only better." He eyes the traitor, whose head is still bowed. "Steve Rogers' blood is the key to creating a perfect army. Pierce was wrong about shooting them down. They only need to be… convinced."

The gunman nods once. "We have hacked the cameras and they are already becoming closer."

"Good," Rumlow says, sounding pleased. "Soon they will let their guard down, and we will take everything from him."

"Actually we already have a plan," The gunman twirls the cold metal in his hands. "Thanks to your professionals Maggie doesn't recognize me anymore, and I can take control as planned."

"Jonathan," Rumlow says warningly. "You don't know what you're doing. You would be nothing without me."

"You're nothing without a master," He says coldly. Rumlow opens his mouth to yell, but in a split second Jonathan raises his gun and fires, emotionlessly watching the body fall. He turns to the traitor and says, "Make sure you dispose of her when we're done. She is insignificant and always has been." He walks over to the desk, sits down, and stares at the cameras, watching Steve Rogers pound on his punching bag.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

I take a silent deep breath, standing outside of Steve's door and waiting nervously for the nerves to knock. I want to trust him- and I do, aside from his feelings. I don't know what he wants from me, or if this is some test to see how much I really trust him-

The door opens, revealing Steve leaning against the doorframe. "How long were you planning on standing there?"

I blink, shifting awkwardly. "Until I was sure this was a good idea."

He smirks, eyes warm as he looks at me. "And your decision?"

I reach out and open the door further, shoving past him to come inside and smiling at his chuckle. "You're sure there aren't cameras in here?"

"I had Natasha double check. It's safe," I feel his warmth on my back, and I take a silent breath as I reach my hand back slightly, my fingers brushing his. He easily moves his fingers to tangle with mine, and then he asks, "Are you ready?"

I frown, breaking his gentle grip to face him. "For what?"

He looks at me, his eyes amused as he offers a slight smile. "I still have to learn, don't I?"

I glance around him, seeing the food scattered on the counter. "You couldn't think of what to do, could you?"

He sighs a little, following me into the kitchen. "I still haven't caught up. How was I supposed to think of something?"

I smile, already getting to work. "Just focus, soldier." He stays silent, and after a minute I look over to see him watching me closely, forcing me to sigh. "I meant on the food."

He raises his eyebrows. "Are you going to tell me what we're making?"

I just grin, turning back to the meal, and he sighs before moving to stand beside me. "What do you want me to do?"

…

"Not bad," I offer, gathering my empty plate and rising. "You're getting better."

Steve follows quickly, standing right behind me as I rinse our plates off. "Good enough for another date?"

I glance at him over my shoulder for a couple of seconds before turning away. "Is that what this is?"

There's silence, and then he reaches around me and turns the water off. I bite my lip and dry my hands, but he grips my hips and turns me around, blue eyes searching my dark ones. We don't say anything for a long moment, and we both move, his hands holding my waist and my hands running through his hair. He makes a noise in the back of his throat, his grip tightening, and I grip the hair on the back of his neck. I finally pull away, needing to breathe, and he dips his head, pressing gentle kisses under my jaw before nipping at my neck, making my hands tighten on his shoulders.

He pulls away, breathing a little raggedly. "We need to stop," he says roughly, brushing hair away from my face. "Before I can't."

I nod in agreement, struggling to breathe steadily. "I agree," I don't step back, though.

"Captain, Agent Romanoff is requesting permission to go into the compound in Siberia." FRIDAY says from the ceiling.

Steve blinks, snapping out of it. "Let her go." He catches my questioning look. "I asked her to help me find the shooter."

I stare at him for a long moment. "I thought you wanted to handle it yourself?"

"I can't handle it myself and see you at the same time," He smirks slightly. "I'm compromising."

I can't help but blush more than I already was, and he laughs a little, thumb rubbing my side gently. "What about your sense of honor and duty that kept you from asking for help to begin with?"

He tilts his head. "It was beat by someone else."

I raise my eyebrows, not buying the innocent smile. "Are you sure about this?"

He steps forward and holds my hands in his hands. "Everyone has something that makes them happy. Mine is you."

I bite my lip, blushing, and Steve smiles as he tugs me to his lips once again.

…

Natasha crouches in the darkness, scanning for any signs of movement on the open floor below her. She waits a beat, straining in the silence, but after a solid minute she hops down silently, remaining crouched and looking for some of HYDRA's agents, but she still hears nothing.

She taps the comm. in her ear. "I'm inside." She cuts the microphone off, not bothering to wait for a reply, and slips towards the control room, taking the small drive out of one of the compartments in her belt and plugs it in before backing up the drive.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

She whips around, instantly recognizing the face of the shooter.

"Did you?" She asks emotionlessly, pressing the button on her wrist cuff subtly.

"I wouldn't if I were you," The shooter says calmly. "All of the tech in that suit was disabled the moment you snuck inside the air vents."

She says nothing, watching him calculatingly.

He nods at the drive. "It's only halfway done. Do you want to attack me and risk losing the information?"

She tilts her chin to him. "What's your name?"

The shooter smirks, strolling around her and making her shift to keep facing him. "I'm impressed none of you figured it out. HYDRA is much better at changing a person's face than I thought."

"Who are you?" She repeats slowly, her voice cold.

He turns to her with a dark grin. "Maggie couldn't recognize me. What makes you think you can?"

She stares at him carefully. "You know her," She says quietly.

"And she knows me," He leans against the desk, crossing his arms. "Though she thinks I'm dead."

"The only person she mentioned was an ex-fiancée she left." She says evenly despite her mind calculating. His stance is too relaxed, and she knows there's at least two guns under his shirt.

Then the name pops into her mind. "HYDRA didn't kill you." She says, instantly understanding. "They recruited you and changed your face." She meets his eyes, her face angry and determined. "Jonathan."

He tilts his head, smirking. "Too bad you won't make it out." He lunges too quickly, and he slams his fist into her temple before knocking her head into the table, emotionlessly watching her body crumple to the ground.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

"Steve! Stop it!" I laugh, trying to fight him off and failing.

"Do you yield?" He asks, amused.

I laugh, trying to squirm out from under him as his fingers attack my stomach, ribs, sides- everywhere he can reach. "Steve!"

"Do you yield?" He asks again, still smiling at me.

"No," I gasp, knowing I'm right. His hands manage to go under my arm, and I shriek. "Ok! I yield!"

He smirks, planting his hands on either side of my head as he watches me expectantly. "Well?"

"You're not a punk," I breathe, finally getting my breath back. He grins, proud of himself as he rolls off of me, and under my breath I mutter, "You're a jerk."

"What was that?" He asks, rolling back on top of me.

I try to squirm away, unable to stop a nervous giggle, but before he can do anything FRIDAY speaks up. "Captain Rogers, Falcon is requesting a meeting regarding the mission Agent Romanoff was sent on."

"You got lucky," He tells me quietly, smiling at my smug smirk. "Tell them we're on our way."

"We?" I ask, accepting his hand and letting him help me up.

"I'm compromising," He says, grinning at me, and I bite my lip nervously as he takes my hand and leads me to the elevator. "Relax. They're not going to hurt you."

"I'm not worried about that." I watch him press a button, and I force myself to meet his eyes. "I don't want them to give you problems because I'm there."

Something flashes in his eyes, and he turns, cupping my face in his hands. "They know."

I blink. "They know?"

He nods, eyes searching mine. "They know I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, they know I'm trying to find that shooter, and they know that if anyone hurts you, I will handle them myself." I stare at him worriedly, and he kisses my forehead and steps back as the door opens, revealing me blushing next to a focused Steve.

"I'm impressed," Tony Stark says, eying me appreciatively. "I didn't think someone as old as you would be able to land a beautiful girl."

I blush a little, unused to being called beautiful, and Steve snaps, "Tony."

"Sorry," He says, not sounding sorry. "I'm Tony, but of course you knew that."

I take his hand and shake it once, moving a little closer to Steve. "Maggie."

He grins. "So you're Maggie. I'll admit when Natasha said you had red hair, I was expecting it to look like hers."

"Stark!" Steve barks, looking ready to take him out.

I wince, brushing a strand behind my ear. "It's fine. I'm just average."

"Clearly not if Steve and Natasha trust you," A man with brown hair and blue eyes looks at me too calmly, and I fight an unpleasant shiver. "I'm Clint."

I nod once, not missing how he doesn't offer his hand. Bruce stands off to the side, but he offers a small wave as a beautiful woman steps forward.

"You are Maggie?" She asks, her voice thick with a Russian accent. I nod, and she smiles. "It's nice to meet you. Natasha has told me about you."

"Why was Natasha talking about her?" Steve asks, wary.

"Because you like her," She says simply, making Steve blush as we shake hands.

"So we're ready?" A dark-skinned man asks, crossing his arms impatiently.

"What's going on?" Steve asks, straightening and using his Cap voice.

The man nods at the table, and the top changes to show a bunch of maps and scanners. "Natasha went off the grid."

"What?" Steve asks, a harder note to his voice, and I wince.

"She's gone missing," He looks a little regretful. "It's up to you what we do now, Cap."

"Go after her," I say firmly, drawing everyone's attention.

"What?" Steve asks, looking a little startled as he turns to me.

I lift my chin. "She's your best friend, Steve. You need to go after her."

"I agree," The man says simply.

Steve turns on him. "Sam-"

"No. I know you want to keep her safe, but if Natasha's in hiding, you're the only one she'll approach."

Steve looks between us, clearly torn.

"You'll regret it if you don't," I say gently.

"I don't want to leave you here alone," He says, watching me worriedly.

"Steve," Sam says firmly.

I offer a small smile, trying to hide my worry. "I'll be waiting for you when you come back."

He looks reluctant, but he turns back to his team. "I'll leave tomorrow." Everyone nods, and he grabs my hand and walks towards the elevator, shutting us inside.

…

I curl up on the armchair, looking out the window as Steve packs in his bedroom. I want him to go after her, but Natasha wouldn't go off the grid without telling anyone. If HYDRA got her-

"I can hear you thinking."

I jump, turning slightly and holding my knees closer to my chest as I keep Steve's gaze. "Did you finish?" I ask quietly, eyes landing on the duffle bag by the door.

His lips thin a little, and he crouches in front of me, gently moving my knees so my feet touch the floor. "What's going on?" He asks quietly.

I bite my lip, and he reaches up and forces me to release it with a thumb on my chin. "I don't think she went off the grid," I say quietly. He doesn't say anything, still watching me, and I add, "I think HYDRA has her."

He stays silent for a moment, releasing a silent breath. "I think so too." I swallow carefully, looking at my lap, and he tilts my chin up. "You have nothing to worry about."

"None of this would be happening if I wasn't there." I say quietly.

"Then we wouldn't be here now," he says gently, hands on the sides of my thighs as he leans closer to my lips.

"But Natasha wouldn't be in trouble."

"It's part of the job," He leans back on his heels, watching me carefully. "Do you want me to stay?"

I do, but I want him to help Natasha more. "No."

He seems to know I'm lying, but doesn't say anything as he rises and offers me his hand. "Stay with me tonight."

I hesitate. "Steve…"

"Please," He says softly, and I know I can't argue with him. I accept his hand, and he smiles, leading me into his room. We both lie under the covers, and Steve's arm wraps around my waist, pulling me against his chest as he falls into an easy and steady sleep. I wait for a minute, my mind reeling, and then I scoot out of the bed, replace where I was with a pillow, and duck out of his floor and down to the courtyard, needing a minute to remind myself that no matter what HYDRA does to him, he'll come back.

A black cloth covers my nose and mouth, and I gasp, jerking violently and smelling something sickly sweet as I slowly fall into unconsciousness.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

I slowly peel my eyes open, blinking at the light shining above me, and force myself up into a sitting position.

"Careful," Natasha says, making my head snap over to see her curled against the wall so I can only see a single green-blue eye. "You could have a concussion."

"What happened to you?" I whisper, knowing that despite how little I know Natasha Romanoff, she isn't the type of person to behave like this.

She hesitates before slowly uncurling, and I cover my mouth with a hand to hide the gasp.

Blood.

Everywhere- her temple, her clothes, dried on her hands. She winces as she moves, betraying what might be a broken rib, and I force a breath before asking, "Did you break anything?"

"My rib," She hisses, confirming what I was afraid of. "Bruises on my back. Are you hurt?"

I shake my head, unsure why. "They took me from the courtyard." I go still. "Steve. They could have him or be doing something to him. Natasha-"

"He's not here," Natasha reassures me, calming me slightly. "Tell me about Jonathan."

I frown, confused. "What about him?"

Natasha forces a shaky deep breath, and I scoot over, taking my jacket off and feeling for where blood is clearly flowing before tying the jacket around the wound, trying to stop as much as possible. "He's alive," Natasha says quietly.

I shake my head. "HYDRA killed him. That shooter-"

The cell clicks loudly, and the door opens to reveal the shooter smirking at me as I try to slow the blood.

"She needs a doctor," I say forcefully, trying to hide my shaking hands. "She's going to bleed out."

The shooter tilts his head, studying Natasha's weak eyes. "I'll let someone stitch it, but she can recover from blood loss on her own."

"You're pathetic," I hiss, sending him my darkest glare. "No decent human being would let someone die like this."

"And no decent human being would take advantage of someone with something to lose." He says calmly, eyes staring straight into mine.

No decent human being would take advantage of someone with something to lose.

I fall back a little, sitting in stunned silence. "No," I whisper.

"As long as you let yourself be attached to someone, you will always lose something." The man steps closer to us, grinning dangerously. "I gave up attachment for power. HYDR can be very useful if you use the right people."

I bite my lip, fighting back tears as I keep my eyes on Natasha's. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

"You always clung too tightly to people," He says. "Your precious Captain will come for you, and then I will take him like I took your mother."

"I hope he kills you," I manage, not caring about my voice being thick with tears and how I would have never wanted someone dead before.

Jonathan smiles. "I'm sure you do." He turns, steps out of the cell, and slams the door behind him, leaving me alone to sob and pray Natasha doesn't die.

...

Steve slowly opens his eyes, smiling as he reaches his hand over to feel for Maggie. Feeling nothing but cold sheets, he jerks up in a panic, staying completely still and silent with tense muscles. Hearing nothing, he quickly moves off of the bed looks into the bathroom with a frown, quickly moving into the living room to find it just as empty as well. He purses his lips before moving into the elevator, not worried about someone seeing him in nothing but sweatpants and a white tank top. The door opens to the floor where Maggie was held, and he instantly moves towards her cell.

"Maggie?" Steve calls, moving inside without knocking and fighting back the new surge of fear. All he can think about is her damaged body on the side of the road, or traces of her blood with no body, or her deciding to leave him for good. The panic increasing his heartbeat doesn't waver, and he sighs, leaning against the wall. He knew Maggie didn't want him to go, but she wouldn't have forgiven him if he stayed behind while Natasha is missing.

Unless she convinced someone else to go in his place.

"FRIDAY, where's Maggie?" He calls, leaning in the bathroom and scanning quickly, dread a heavy weight in his stomach.

"I'm afraid she went into the courtyard last night." FRIDAY answers calmly. "I have no record of her returning."

Steve's eyes land on the corner of her bed, and he sees the small corner sticking out from under the mattress. He instantly moves and grabs it, reading it silently.

I found this with the other things they took from you. Tony put some restrictions on it, but I made sure you could still talk to your friend. I would call her soon; it looked like she'd been trying to talk to you for a while.

S

"She saved it," He says quietly. He grips the note tighter and turns, marching towards the elevator. "FRIDAY, call the Avengers into the meeting room in five minutes. We're tracking them down. Both of them."

After a quick change of clothes, he steps into the conference room, instantly drawing the attention of his team: Wanda, Sam, Tony, Rhodey, and the Vision.

"No one went after Natasha yet, right?" He asks, using his authoritative voice.

Tony frowns. "I thought you were?"

Steve sags slightly. "That's what I thought." He moves to stand at the head of the table, taking a moment to consider his words. "Maggie is gone."

"What happened?" Wanda asks instantly, ignoring the other exchanging glances.

"Either she was taken or she left on her own," Steve says strongly. "Hopefully not to go after Natasha."

"She wouldn't," Tony says firmly. "She trusts you to find her."

"She's stubborn," Sam glances at Steve, as if making sure he wouldn't offend him. "If it keeps her from losing someone else, she might try."

Steve's heart becomes slightly heavier. Sam only helped to bring her in, but he still knows the crucial detail Steve was hoping to ignore. "FRIDAY, play the video for around when Maggie went outside."

The video plays on the table, and everyone watches in silence as a large figure slips behind her, holding a cloth over her mouth and easily scooping up her limp body.

He almost sags with relief. She didn't go after Natasha, but she's still in danger. She was trusting him to protect her, and now-

"Cap," Sam says sharply, drawing him out of his thoughts.

Steve nods to him once before taking a breath. "With both of them captured, we need as many as possible to invade the base and bring them in. We don't know who else they may take or how long they have." He swallows a small lump at that, but presses on. "Suit up and get ready. We leave in ten minutes."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

"You're going to make yourself sick," Natasha says weakly, lying on the thin mattress and watching me curl my knees to my chest, putting most of my weight on the cold stone wall.

"You need to rest," I force out, looking at her pale face. Jonathan kept his promise and closed the wound, but she's so weak she can't walk on her own, and they won't give her a blood transfusion. She's going to have to stay there for a while before she can do anything, and being at HYDRA's mercy isn't making me feel optimistic.

"I can't," She says quietly. I glance at her worriedly, and her eyes are distant, almost hollow. "I remember being here."

Ice fills my veins. "You were captured by HYDRA before?"

She shakes her head, and when she looks at me again, I see nothing but an icy understanding. "Where I was trained. It was… similar to this."

I force myself to rise and sit next to her, checking her bandages and relaxing when I see the lack of blood. "Was it bad?" I ask quietly, keeping my eyes on the ripped suit.

She doesn't say anything, and I know .

I force myself to breathe. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "You shouldn't have had to go through that."

She shakes her head, but before she can say anything she drifts off to sleep, and I sigh before I hear the click of the cell being opened.

"Jonathan," I say evenly, focusing my attention on Natasha again and hoping I can play it off as making sure she's ok. I can't look at him knowing that he changed his face, and that whatever he wants from Steve could kill him.

"Margaret," He replies, making me tense. He knows how much I hate that name. I send him a dark glare as he calmly leans against the wall with crossed arms, and he smiles as he asks, "Did you know your precious Captain's first love was named Margaret?"

"Yes," I say flatly, not interested in hearing about her. I respect Peggy Carter, but Jonathan will twist his comments about her so that I lose it, and I don't want to hate someone because of him.

He smiles tauntingly. "Are you sure Captain Rogers isn't just interested in you because of her?"

"Yes," I reply easily, blocking it from my thoughts. He will twist something beautiful and turn it into something ugly. Steve and I are new, but I know how we feel about each other isn't. Attraction is too delicate to be used as a weapon, and if Jonathan uses it I might lose the progress I've made with Steve.

I can't let him take that from me too.

"I see," He muses, but it's obvious that he doesn't believe me. "How is Natalia doing?"

I glance at Natasha's sleeping form. "She's fine. She would be better if you would actually help her."

He makes a noise of acknowledgement, but doesn't say anything else. "Did you bring your inhaler?"

I pause, uneasy. "Why?"

"No reason," He says lightly, pushing off of the wall. "I would hate for your Captain to arrive too late to save you. The air isn't always the best for people damaged the way you are."

I wince slightly, well aware of his feelings about it. "I am not damaged."

He just smirks slightly, moving towards the cell door. "He's coming, you know. He won't be able to find you in time, but he is trying to save you. Think of that before I take him from you." He slams the door shut, and I curl, releasing a sob.

_Steve, I am so sorry._

…

Steve braces his hand against the wall of the quinjet, not bothering to put on his cowl until they're close enough to land. All he can think about is her fiery red curls, warm brown eyes that he always gets lost in, the beautiful smile he only recently got used to. If he fails, she'll be gone, and he won't be able to live himself if that happens. He closes his eyes and takes a quiet deep breath, trying to focus away any nerves and panic.

"Cap,"

Steve turns, seeing Sam watching him carefully, his goggles off but metal wings already on his back.

"We'll find them," He says calmly, keeping his eyes steady.

Steve nods once, straightening, and he turns to his team. "Our objective is simple: Find Natasha and Maggie, and bring them home. Stark, I want you and Vision to go directly to the control room, backup the hard drive, and wipe the system. Rhodey, you and Bruce will wait here for backup. Wanda and Sam, you're with me. Spread out and find her."

"What about guards?" Wanda asks worriedly.

Steve looks at her reassuringly. "We're not going to kill them. We'll knock them out and disarm them, and Fury is sending a team to collect them afterwards. I want to avoid killing if at all possible."

"Except for the one who took Maggie," Tony adds, smirking. "I pity the guy who pissed off Capsicle."

Steve ignores him, turning his attention back to the window and watching the icy landscape of Siberia speed past. He doesn't know what he'll do to who took her- except land a strong hit to his jaw. That he knows he will do.

But after? Steve hates bullies, but he wouldn't kill one. He doesn't like killing period. To consider killing someone just for attacking Natasha and taking Maggie from him is… ridiculous.

"Don't worry about him, Captain," Wanda says quietly. "Stark thinks anyone else's loss is insignificant."

"I don't think that," Tony says calmly, taking a drink of coffee and keeping his eyes on her. "I know how protective Cap is about people he cares about."

Clint presses a button up front where he's flying. "If it weren't coming from you I'd almost think it's deep."

"Don't tell him that," Rhodey says, standing up front and watching Clint as if trying to figure out what he's doing. "He'll let it go to his head and you'll never hear the end of it."

Tony sends him a dark glare, wordlessly taking a drink.

Steve shakes his head with a slight smile before turning back to the window.

_I'm coming, Maggie. Just a little bit longer._


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

I choke down a sob, curling into myself as feel the burning metal hit my shoulder. One of Jonathan's workers walked in, not hesitating to knock me to the ground and kick me in the back. I can feel the bruise forming, and I know that if he keeps it up and hits me in the wrong place I'll lose my ability to breathe.

"Enough," A voice yells, and the man steps back as Jonathan approaches me. "I told you to leave them here."

The man ducks his head.

Cursing, Jonathan grabs the hot pipe from his hands and slams it against the guards head, knocking him to the ground. I scream, scrambling back so I'm leaning against the wall, my eyes wide and face pale as Jonathan hits him over and over. Blood splatters the walls and floor, a little hitting me and making me feel sick as I watch his body turn into ugly colors that destroy his face and turn him into a deformed monster. One hit jerks the guard's head to the side, and he falls back, face towards me with eyes looking at nothing. Jonathan stares at him emotionlessly as another guard drags the body out, and Jonathan's cold eyes land on my shaking form.

"You never were one to fight back," He says coldly. "Next time I will not stop him." He turns and slams the door behind him, and I look at the mattress to see Natasha watching me closely.

"He doesn't know you've been fighting Steve since you came to the facility." She says calmly.

I nod, wincing as I rise to sit next to the ripped and filthy mattress. "I used to not argue with anyone. He changed that."

She keeps her eyes on me despite the clear exhaustion. "That's why you think all tacticians are the same."

"Not anymore," I say quietly.

She softens a little, and she uncharacteristically shifts so her hand touches mine. "He's coming. Nothing that Jonathan says will change that."

I nod in agreement, and she scoots over carefully, letting me lie next to her, and as I stare at the cell door I send up a prayer.

Come on, Steve.

…

"Stark, are you in?" Steve asks quietly, speaking quietly into the comm. and remaining crouched in the bushes. Around him the bushes are covered in frost, and when he whispers he can see the white cloud.

"Almost," Tony grunts, and then he says, "Alright, I'm in. The security's down, so whenever you want to go in, you're clear."

"Sam," Steve starts, but he doesn't get to finish.

"On my way," Sam says, and Steve glances up to see the dark figure of a winged man swooping towards the roof.

"Door's opened a crack, but you only have one minute before it closes," Tony says.

He nods once to Wanda, and her eyes glow red before she uses her powers to fly towards the door, trails of red following her hands. Steve takes of running, skidding under the door seconds after she does, and it closes the rest of the way right as they both stop. He notices how tense Wanda is, and he nods reassuringly before silently padding down the hallway, Wanda following behind.

"Falcon, status," Steve asks quietly. He tenses at the loud noise, and then Falcon lands in front of him, wings back in it's case. Steve nods once before moving down the hallway, almost instantly running into five guards. Without pausing Steve tosses his shield, knocking two men out before catching it again and lunging towards a guard. From the corner of his eye he sees Falcon slamming his fist into a guard's face, and on his other side Wanda's soldier is lying on the ground, and red wisps are slowly disappearing. Steve finally lands a solid hit to the guard's temple, instantly knocking him unconscious. He keeps moving, and then there's a scream echoing down the hall.

Maggie.

Steve moves, but then they all duck behind a wall, glancing out to see a guard dragging a bloody and bruised body, the face mangled and barely resembling a human face. The guard disappears, and the shooter from before steps into the hallway, slamming the door behind me. Steve moves to step forward, but then he collapses, the world turning dark.

…

Steve peels his eyes open, muscles tensing as he registers the heavy metal cuffs on his wrists and quickly surveying the area around him. He glances around to see himself in a small room with dark bricks all the way up, not allowing much light except for the lone light bulb hanging from a string attached to the ceiling.

"Falcon," He whispers, not wanting to let anyone know he's awake.

There's a noise on the other side of the heavy metal door, and then it opens, revealing the shooter from before.

"Hello, Captain," He says calmly, smirking slightly.

Steve's glare darkens, but he still doesn't speak.

"Maggie will be disappointed." The shooter continues calmly, taking another step closer, and Steve sees the cold brown eyes and ink black strands from his newest nightmares- the ones where Maggie could never come back to him. "Missing the moment when you found out the truth."

Against his better judgment, he asks, "What are you talking about?"

"Who I really am," Steve's eyes narrow a fraction, and the shooter starts pacing in front of him. "Don't worry; Maggie had no idea until I told her myself, thanks to HYDRA's generous face transplant." He pauses and turns to face him. "What has she told you about Jonathan?"

Steve keeps his face neutral. "Who is Jonathan?"

The shooter grins, almost chuckling to himself. "I know you and Maggie are close. She had to have told you for that to happen."

He straightens slightly. "He used her to buy her mother's company, leading to her death."

The shooter shakes his head knowingly. "You know he was her fiancé." Steve says nothing, and the smile widens. "It was a shame to have to lose her, but she was too weak. I need a stronger woman if I am going to be in a relationship."

Steve goes completely still. "Jonathan," He says quietly.

Jonathan smirks. "I'll come for you soon, Captain." He steps out and shuts the door, and then Steve hears screaming.

"Steve!" Maggie screams, sounding heartbroken and clearly sobbing.

"Maggie!" He yells, moving to the door and knocking his shoulder into it despite knowing it won't break. "Maggie! I'm coming for you, sweetheart. I'm not leaving you." He hears her scream his name again, and he releases an unsteady breath, hanging his head and feeling his heart shatter.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Wanda and Sam slowly peel their eyes open, shivering in the ice and shoving to their feet.

"Where's Steve?" Sam asks instantly, scanning the ground but seeing no sign of him.

Wanda stares at the door, her eyes glowing red. "Inside,"

Sam curses. "We need to get back to the jet and call Tony."

…

I jerk awake, gasping and shaking, and I rub my face to find my cheeks streaked with tears. I roll over, intending to check on Natasha, but she's already watching me.

"You were calling for Steve," She says, and I can tell by her voice alone that she's getting stronger, but not much. "He's here,"

I swallow. "How do you know?" I ask quietly, my throat a little sore.

"He was yelling back," She closes her eyes. "Tell me about Jonathan. Before his face changed."

I freeze. "He used to have curly brown hair and emerald eyes," I say quietly. Natasha hums in acknowledgement, clearly drifting off, and I sigh before shoving to my feet and padding towards the door. I hesitate for a moment before deciding that I don't care if Jonathan hears.

"Steve?" I call, leaning close to the doorway. Silence answers me, and I try again. "Steve?" I still hear nothing, and I sigh, starting back towards the mattress.

"Maggie?"

I freeze. "Steve?"

"Maggie!" I can hear the relief in his voice, and I almost sob. "Are you hurt?"

"No, but Natasha is," I glance back at her briefly before yelling, "Are you alright?"

"Jonathan didn't hurt me."

I freeze. "I'm sorry, Steve. I swear I didn't know."

"I know," Steve calls, and despite the fact that we're yelling I can hear the soothing undertone. "I trust you."

I bite my lip. "What now?"

He's silent for a long moment. "I have a plan, Maggie. Just trust me to take care of you."

I swallow thickly. "Always."

It's silent for a moment. "Why don't you try to go to sleep," He says, his voice quieter and softer. "You were yelling all night."

I nod, then I remember that he can't see me. "Alright," I pause, and then, "I love you, Steve."

There's a beat. "I love you too, Maggie." He says gently, so softly that I almost miss it.

I smile, crawling to the mattress and finally letting my body rest.

…

"What do you mean Steve's still in there?" Tony demands from inside the jet.

Sam shakes his head. "It was an ambush. The guy's probably had this whole thing planned from the beginning."

Tony curses, shaking his head. "I'll have to hack into the system all over again and try to get them out."

"Do it," Sam says firmly. "We have to get them out of there before HYDRA has the chance to take the serum."

Tony sighs, and the faceplate lowers. "We're going. Vision, you're with me. If we have to mess with their technology, I'm going to need backup."

Vision nods once, and they both jump outside and start flying.

…

The heavy door opens, and Steve glances up from where he's slumped on the thin cot to see Jonathan walking in, a smirk on his face as he walks in with a needle attached to a bag.

"We require your blood, Captain," He says, a dark gleam in his eyes that makes Steve tense. "The best way to recreate the serum is to take it from you,"

Steve straightens a little, already knowing that was what he wanted. "Why? Why ruin people's lives like this?"

Jonathan tilts his head. "You mean why ruin Maggie's life like this," He says knowingly. "She is weak."

He shakes his head. "Then you don't know Maggie," His mind flashes to her face, how much she seemed to hate him back then.

Jonathan laughs once humorlessly, but before he can say anything something slams into the back of his head, knocking him unconscious as a man in a red and gold metal suit steps into the room. "Are you alright, Cap?"

Steve bites back the smile. "What took you so long?" He asks, offering the cuffs as Iron Man's repulsors slices through it enough for him to yank his hands free.

"Not everyone can move fast."

Steve glances to where Jonathan's body was, cursing when he sees the empty space. "He's gone. We need to find Maggie and-" he cuts himself off, hearing pain-filled yells, and without a word he darts out of the room, following the sound. "Maggie!"

"Steve," Tony says firmly, landing in front of him. "Tell me what you need me to do."

He takes a deep breath, straightening and stepping into his role. "Get Wanda and get her to brainwash the guards," He starts, his mind already strategizing. "I'm going after Maggie. Clint needs to get Natasha and go."

Tony nods. "Did you get that?"

Steve turns to look down the hallway, frowning slightly. "Find my shield while you're at it."

"Do I look like your maid?" Tony asks dryly. He cuts him a glare, and the genius quickly adds, "Kidding. Just focus on Maggie. We'll handle it from here."

Steve nods once, relaxing a fraction, and he takes off, seeing the shadow of a man ferociously kicking a small black lump that can only be a body.

…

I grunt, coughing as Jonathan's heavy boot hits me in the gut again. I can barely breathe, and there's nothing I can do about it except bear it and pray I don't die.

"You deserve this," Jonathan hisses, his eyes cruel and unforgiving. "You deserve more than this. Weakness is pathetic. Attachment is pathetic. Your precious Captain won't be able to save you."

"Steve," I whisper, tears stinging my eyes, and one more kick takes the last of my oxygen out of my lungs.

"You are too damaged to be worth anything," He hisses. "You should at least acknowledge that."

I ignore him, too busy trying to get air in my lungs. Soon his face disappears, and then I'm wheezing as I see Steve's worried face over mine, lulling me to sleep.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

I groan, forcing my eyes to open and taking in the bright white light. I feel an oxygen mask on my face, and I quickly yank it off and jerk into an upright position, feeling exposed in the hospital scrubs. I glance over to see a folded pile of clothes, and I easily slide out of the bed and pad to the clothes, instantly smelling Steve on them. I force thoughts of him back and quickly change before sticking my head outside of the room, my eyes instantly landing on a tall African American man with a black patch covering his left eye.

"Maggie," He says, nodding once to me. "It's good to see you walking around again."

I keep my eyes steady on him. "Who are you?"

He offers a slight smirk. "Nick Fury. I used to be the director of SHIELD."

I relax slightly. His information flooded the web when SHIELD fell, and I know he's one of the reliable ones. "Where's Steve?"

"He was at your side the entire time," He answers calmly. "Until I sent him to handle the press."

I nod once nervously, and he studies me carefully before I ask, "How's Natasha?"

Fury shifts. "She's going to be fine." I nod, and he adds, "Room three," before turning and walking away. I wait a beat, trying to process that he didn't immediately ask me what happened, and I quickly move in the other direction, scanning for the right room and standing in the doorway.

Natasha lies on the bed, her face holding a little more color than the last time I saw her, and her red curls are still disheveled. I hesitate, unsure whether I should stay or not, and her eyes open, immediately meeting mine. "You can come in," She says calmly. I slowly step inside, and I move to the chair next to her as she says, "They gave me a blood transfusion. Steve asked me what happened, but he's been on the TV all day,"

I follow her gaze to a nice-looking TV, where Steve's in front of a crowd in full uniform. "The explosion was necessary to eliminate all data in their Siberian base. Tony Stark has stated that he is willing to pay for any damages that Siberia feels is necessary, but there were no damages."

Christine Everhart raises her hand, speaking before anyone else can. "Witnesses say they saw you carrying a woman in your arms."

Steve straightens. "I did, and we are taking care of her now," He says, looking slightly irritated.

"He loves you," Natasha says quietly.

I allow myself a small smile, missing him even with his smell on my clothes. "I know. He told me when we were in the cages."

She nods. "I remember you two yelling, but I was gone before I could hear the rest." She tilts her head. "Do you love him?"

I nod, biting my lip and staring at my lap.

"I knew it," I glance up to see her smirking knowingly. "He'll be back soon."

I release a breath, nodding. I want nothing more than to see him in person, be able to touch him and be sure he's ok, but I'm not sure I'll get that chance. Not knowing he has work to do and that I'm keeping him from it. I sense someone standing in the doorway, and I turn to see Fury watching me closely.

"We need to debrief you," He says, no sign of apology on his face.

I risk a quick hand on her arm, drawing away after a second. "Feel better,"

She nods once, and I silently follow Fury down the hallway, stepping into the elevator and finally into the interrogation room where Steve and Natasha first interrogated me.

"What happened in Siberia?" Fury asks, crossing his arms and watching me as I settle into the chair.

I take a steadying deep breath. "My ex fiancé took Natasha when she was on a mission and sent people to get me. He wants to destroy Steve." I release a shaky breath. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have trusted him."

"Trusting Steve saved your life," Fury says evenly. "What did he do to Natasha?"

I shake my head. "I don't know. When I woke up she was bloody and bruised. Whatever they did took a lot of her blood. I convinced Jonathan to close the wound, but he refused to help her more than that. I tried my best to take care of her."

Fury keeps his eyes on me. "What happened after Steve came?"

I bite my lip. "I don't know when he came. I woke up, and Natasha told me I had been screaming for him in my sleep before telling me he was there. I didn't believe her until she said he had been yelling back, and I called for him and got an answer." My throat closes, remembering. "I never meant for him to get caught. Then someone was sent in to attack me, and it gave me an asthma attack. The last thing I remember is Steve looking at me."

Fury sighs a little. "Tony freed him when Jonathan tried to take his blood. He disappeared before we could catch him."

I squeeze my eyes shut, the hands gripping my legs tensing. "You can't let him stay off of the grid."

"I know," He says simply. "You're free to go home now. Sam is waiting to escort you to the car."

I still, staring at him with wide eyes. "What?" I whisper.

"Since the shooter is gone, you're free to go. I don't know why Captain Rogers kept you here in the first place, but you're safe." The door opens, and I glance over to see Sam waiting for me emotionlessly. "Have a good day, Ms. Smith."

I rise somewhat steadily, aware that I've been dismissed, and I follow Sam into the elevator wordlessly. We ride in silence for a long moment, and then finally Sam says, "I'm real sorry about this," The door opens to the runway, and we both step out. "But it wasn't my call."

I offer a faint smile, shaking my head a little. "Thank you for helping Steve. I owe you."

He shakes his head as we arrive at the jet, already prepared to leave. "You don't owe me anything. Just take care of Steve."

Tears sting my eyes a little. "I won't get to see him again," I whisper. Sam purses his lips, looking like he wants to speak, but someone clears their throat, and I turn and step into the plane without looking back, knowing that Sam will keep Steve safe.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

This is it, the last chapter! Thank you all so much for reading this and hopefully this chapter makes you smile.

Chapter Nineteen

Steve steps out into the hallway, his face set in determination and blue eyes burning in anger. His eyes lands on the conference room, and he barges in without knocking, glare instantly landing on Fury. Sam straightens in his chair, looking slightly concerned for his friend, but Steve's only focused on the man sitting at the head of the table.

"Where is she?" He demands, muscles tense under his Captain America suit.

"Who?" Fury asks, frowning as he rises from his seat.

"Maggie," Steve growls, and the atmosphere quickly becomes thick with tension.

Sam glances at the ex-director calmly. "I told you."

Fury sighs quietly, eying the soldier in front of him. "I sent her back to DC."

"Why?" He asks darkly.

Fury crosses his arms. "Jonathan has yet to be located. Until we know where he is, she's free to go. She shouldn't have been here in the first place."

Steve bristles a little, and Sam leans back, crossing his arms and waiting. "She was here because she's my girlfriend." Steve says coldly.

"Since when?" Fury demands.

"That doesn't matter," Steve snaps, forcing down the blush threatening to rise up his neck and the reminder. "She was with me. She was under my care, and if you ever try to send someone under my care away again without my direct permission, I will make sure you don't enter this compound again. Do I make myself clear?"

They stare each other down. "Remember who put you in charge," Fury says dangerously.

"Do I make myself clear?"

Sam just shakes his head a little, unimpressed. "You should never have messed with her."

Fury ignores him, staring at Steve for a moment before offering a small smirk. "I guess you're calling the shots here, Captain."

Steve shifts, still ready for a fight. "Good," He says, as if not sure what to do with himself. "I'm leaving for a little while. I don't know when I'll be back."

"Go get her, Cap," Sam says calmly and ignoring Fury's slight glare. "I've got things covered over here."

Steve nods once, sending Fury one last look before stepping into the elevator. "To my floor, FRIDAY," Steve says calmly.

…

I sigh wearily, wiping some sweat from my forehead as I turn off the stove. I haven't told any of the people I used to teach about my return, if only because I don't know what to do next. Zoe is determined that I need to go back and try to talk to him, but I know Fury will just kick me out again, so I simply said that I would think about it. When I was finally able to hang up, I could still smell Steve on my clothes, and I knew I needed a distraction. To make up for my sudden disappearance, I offered to work in the back for the small restaurant, but I'd forgotten how hot and tiring it was to work so fast.

I release a heavy breath before grabbing the sponge, starting to clean up the stove and letting my mind wander.

Steve has to be done handling the press by now, and knowing him he's checking on Natasha and trying to reassure her that she'll be working again soon despite Natasha's threats. But what about everyone else? Would Jonathan have been that much of a threat if it weren't for me? What else will he do to them if I don't try to let Steve go?

"Is it too late to sign up?"

I jump, spinning around and dropping the sponge back into the soapy water. "Steve?" I whisper.

He offers a soft little smile, leaning against the wall in a white t-shirt and jeans, his arms crossed and gentle eyes on me.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper, gripping the edge of the counter.

"I heard the teacher here is pretty good," He makes an obvious sweep of the room, taking in the small kitchen with a grin. "I thought I would check it out."

I shake my head. "You shouldn't be here, Captain. Fury's right about you needing to focus on your team."

His eyes catch mine, holding my gaze with a burning light. "I need to focus on you." I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off. "You asked me what makes me happy. I said it was you. That hasn't changed, no matter how much you try to fight me on this."

I release a breath. "Steve…"

"I love you, Maggie." He says firmly.

I finally relax, offering him my first real smile since regaining consciousness. "I love you too, Steve." I finally move, wrapping my arms around his neck and feeling his strong arms instantly wrap around my waist, holding me tight against him. I close my eyes and breathe him in, enjoying his warmth and his steady heartbeat beating with mine, reveling in his scent not just lingering in my clothes anymore. He presses his lips to my temple, a soft kiss that's nothing more than gentle pressure, and he just holds me, his arms occasionally flexing to grip me tighter.

After a long moment, Steve moves just enough for his lips to lift off of my temple, still brushing my skin as he speaks. "Am I too late to sign up?" He whispers, his voice soft and low.

I pull away, feeling him set me back down and keeping my arms around him. "I don't know," I muse, slipping back into the comfort I had finally started to feel around him.

He smiles, making my heart skip a beat. "I'll pay extra if I have to."

I smirk, pulling away and moving back towards the sink. "You're stuck following me and my orders this time, Captain." I don't turn around, grabbing the sponge and starting to clean again. "Do you think you can handle that?"

I glance over as Steve stops beside me, eyes catching mine and refusing to let go. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

End of book one.


End file.
